The Red Witch (eBook)

Laurie Bowler (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
230 Seiten
Laurie Bowler (Verlag)
979-8-89778-410-3 (ISBN)

Infos

Power. Betrayal. Hope. A young witch's journey to unite the ancient bloodlines becomes humanity's last chance for salvation.

When Seraphina Harold saves her mother from execution, she unleashes a power that marks her as the true Red Witch. Fleeing her village with trusted companions, she starts a perilous journey through a realm being consumed by corruption. At each step - from the twisted Blighted Plains to the deceptive Shadow City - she discovers more about her extraordinary abilities to purify the darkness.

Together with warriors, healers, and the mysterious Void Walkers, Seraphina must reach the Red Castle before Anubis's corruption becomes irreversible. But as they uncover layers of deception and face increasingly dangerous challenges, they realise that even their sacred prophecies may be lies.

If they can't forge their path and trust in their unity, how can they hope to save not just the realm, but the fallen guardian himself?

This dark fantasy epic combines ancient magic with heart-pounding adventure. Readers who crave complex magic systems, powerful character development, and epic battles will be captivated by this thrilling journey that navigates the balance between darkness and light.

Unlock the power of the bloodlines today!

Textauszug

The ancient trees of the White Forest closed around them like protective arms sheltering them from the crowd, their pale bark gleaming in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the canopy above. Seraphina's legs burned as they ran deeper into the woods, following deer paths that twisted between massive trunks that were older than all of them combined. They followed paths they knew well from childhood, keeping a safe distance between them and the onslaught of villagers behind them.

Behind them, the sounds of pursuit grew fainter with each step—the villagers' shouts, the barking of tracking dogs and the crash of bodies pushing through underbrush. But Seraphina knew they wouldn't give up easily. Anubis's influence ran too deep for that. While the hatred and darkness flowed through their veins, they'd still continue to pursue them and her mother.

"This way," Finnian gasped, veering left toward a stream that bubbled over moss-covered stones. "The water will mask our scent and give us time to put a sizable distance between us. We might have a chance to lose them."

They splashed through the shallow creek, their boots squelching on the muddy banks. Phoenixus flew overhead, his keen eyes scanning for signs of danger, occasionally calling out warnings that only Seraphina could fully understand. The three of them remained on alert, listening to any noise that might indicate the villagers were still chasing them.

"How far to the Red Castle?" Elyra’s voice quivered as she adjusted her healer's pack, its weight jostling against her back while she quickened her pace to keep up.

“I don’t know,” Seraphina gasped, her breaths shallow and ragged, each inhale punctuated by the rhythmic crunch of leaves underfoot. “The old stories never mentioned distances. Just that it lies beyond the Whispering Seaks, where the sun sinks into a pool of red.”

Finnian’s brow furrowed as he scanned the path ahead, his mind gathering the scraps of his knowledge like a cartographer piecing together a map. “The Whispering Seaks are a three-day journey from here,” he murmured, his voice steady despite the uncertainty that hung in the air. “But that’s if we can stick to the main roads. Through the forest, avoiding pursuit...” He let out a frustrated breath, shaking his head slowly. “Could be a week or more. I’m not entirely sure, but either way, we’ve got a long journey ahead of us.”

They pressed on in silence, their feet finding rhythm on the forest floor carpeted with fallen leaves. The White Forest was aptly named and incredibly beautiful—the bark of its trees was pearl-white, and even the leaves seemed to shimmer with a magical pallor. It was a place where the old magic lived, where the boundary between the mortal world and the realm of spirits was at its thinnest. But no one feared the forest despite the lore surrounding it.

As the afternoon wore on, the sounds of pursuit faded entirely, leaving the three of them grateful but still extremely tired from the hot pursuit they'd endured. Either the villagers had given up the chase, or they had successfully thrown them off the trail; either way, they weren't chasing them anymore. But Seraphina couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She felt eyes watching her every movement, but as she searched the surrounding area for any signs of life, there weren't any.

"We need to rest," Elyra said finally, leaning heavily against a tree trunk. "I know we want to put distance between us and the village, but we'll collapse if we keep this pace for much longer."

Finnian nodded, his gaze sweeping the landscape until it landed on a small clearing, a natural embrace of earth and stone. "There," he said, pointing to the ring of white stones that suggested a history of travellers resting, their stories absorbed by the ground. "It's defensible, and we can see anyone approaching from all angles."

As they stepped into the clearing, Elyra let her backpack slip from her shoulders and dropped to the ground with an exaggerated sigh. She sprawled out on her back, arms wide as if aiming to embrace the sky. Finnian, however, remained vigilant, his eyes scanning the trees for any signs of movement. At the same time, his hands busily gathered twigs and dry leaves for a fire.

In the fading light, the sun dipped lower, casting a warm glow that blended with the golden and amber colours that brushed the white tree trunks. Phoenixus, ever watchful, settled on a low branch, his head tilting slightly as he listened intently to the whispers of the forest.

"I still can't believe it," Elyra murmured, her eyes fixed on Seraphina, whose fingers danced in the air, coaxing a flickering flame from nothingness. The warmth of the fire began to push back against the evening chill. "All these years, and we never knew."

Finnian chuckled softly, his gaze still on Seraphina’s effortless magic. "If I had known you could summon fire, then I wouldn't have bothered collecting fire materials," he teased, the corner of his mouth lifting in a half-smile, the flicker of the flames reflected in his eyes.

"You didn't ask," she shrugged. "When my mother first saw my magic, she made me promise to keep it secret from everyone. Over the years, I begged and begged for permission to tell you, but she was afraid of everyone," Seraphina replied, her voice heavy with old pain. "She said the world wasn't ready for what I am. That people would fear me, hunt me." She looked up at her friends with haunted eyes. "She was right."

"Not all people," Finnian said firmly. "We're here, aren't we?"

"But for how long?" Seraphina's hands trembled as she fed twigs to the flame. "What happens when you see what I'm truly capable of? When the Red Witch's power fully awakens inside of me? What if I become dangerous?"

"Then we'll face it together," Elyra said, settling beside her friend. "Like we always have. You're far from evil, Sera, and even if you have to learn to control the magic at the beginning, we will still be here."

As darkness fell over the forest, strange sounds began to echo around them from the depths of the woods. Not the familiar calls of owls and nightbirds they were used to hearing, but something else—whispers that seemed to come from the trees themselves as if they'd suddenly sprung to life.

"The forest is alive," Seraphina murmured, her eyes reflecting the firelight. "I can feel it," she said, closing her eyes. "The magic here is old, older than the village, older than the stories of the Red Witch."

"Is it dangerous?" Finnian asked, his hand resting on his sword hilt as he scanned the area around them. "Is there anything we should be afraid of here?"

"I-I don't think so," she squeezed her eyelids together in concentration. "Not to us." Seraphina tilted her head, as if listening to voices they couldn't hear. "It's... curious. The forest spirits want to know what we're doing here, why a Red Witch walks among the white trees and why I'm not in the village protecting the people."

"Can you speak to them?" Elyra asked, fascination overriding her fear.

"Not speak, exactly. But I can feel their presence. It's more like feeling the gentle breeze flowing through you rather than around you," she described. "They're not hostile, though, just... watchful and curious of us." Seraphina's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait," she gasped. "They're trying to tell me something."

She stood abruptly, moving to the edge of the clearing where the shadows seemed deepest and most significant. Her hands began to glow with that familiar golden light, and the whispers in the forest grew louder and louder.

"What is it?" Finnian demanded, rising to his feet.

"Danger," Seraphina said, her voice tight with concentration. "Not from the forest, but from beyond the forest. The spirits are warning us to keep us safe." She turned back to her friends, her face pale in the firelight. "Anubis knows we've escaped and is taking his revenge. He's sending something after us. Something that isn't human, and the spirits are restless because of what he released."

As if summoned by her words, a howl echoed through the night, long, mournful, and filled with an ancient hunger that made their blood run cold. It was answered by another, and another, until the forest seemed to fill with the sound of a hunting pack.

"By the ancients, shadow wolves," Seraphina whispered, her face draining of colour. "Creatures of the dark realm, bound to Anubis's will. They can track us across any distance, through any terrain."

"How many?" Finnian asked, drawing his sword. "I'm sure we can handle them."

Seraphine shook her head. "Too many," she replied, her power flaring brighter as she prepared herself to defend them. "And they're impossibly fast. Much faster than we are."

The howls were getting closer, and through the trees, they could see pairs of red eyes flickering in the darkness. The shadow wolves moved like liquid night, their forms barely visible to anyone until they chose to be seen.

"We can't outrun them," Elyra said, her voice remarkably steady. "So we have to fight."

"No," Seraphina said, her eyes blazing with determination. "I fight. You two need to get to safety."

"Like hell," Finnian growled. "We're not leaving you to face only the ancients know how many shadow wolves."

"This isn't a debate!" Seraphina snapped. Her power erupted to life around her, turning the clearing as bright as day. "These creatures are here because of me. Because of what I am. I won't let you die for my curse, and neither can I let you die knowing I can defend you."

The first shadow wolf stepped into the clearing,...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 20.7.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• Schlagworte: corrupt skinwalker magical fantasy island healer • dreams shadows realm magic prophet witch • fantasy dystopian red witch enchanted forest • Guardians wild action adventure epic fantasy love • Redemption balance red heir mystic unity love • Transformation ancient story new world healers lan • Warrior guard of destiny shifters romance witches
• ISBN-13: 979-8-89778-410-3 / 9798897784103